NCTV Episode 67

Continuing with the series of bitesize health tip videos which can be found here on my YouTube Channel, this episode, includes:-

  • The causes of back pain in golf
  • The types of injuries inflicted and how to avoid them
  • Treatment options available
  • Preventative measures
  • The correct technique

Transcript

If you’d prefer to read the content within, rather than watch the video, then feel free to read the transcript, as follows:-

Hello and welcome to NCTV Episode 67 which is all about how to avoid back pain with golf aka the Back Pain Bunker.

Approximately 60 million people around the world play golf, sometimes into their 80s and 90s which is great because the sport has many health and wellbeing benefits. The problem, though, is despite its perception as a low-impact sport, golf can be very demanding. It requires strength, endurance, explosive power, flexibility and athletic ability to perform a movement that produces some of the fastest club head and ball speeds of any sport.

The golf swing produces average compressive loads on the back equivalent to 8 times your body weight; in comparison, running produces spinal compression forces equal to approximately 3 times your body weight. The effect of these repeated large forces on your body can therefore lead to pain and injury.

Low back pain is by far the most common problem experienced by golfers. It accounts for over a third of all golfing injuries and happens to players regardless of age or ability.

Whilst the lower back is often the source of pain, it’s rarely the cause of pain. The leading cause of pain is poor swing mechanics associated with a lack of mobility in the ankles, hips, upper back and shoulders. These issues result in the lower back being over-stressed and eventually breaking down.

When your back does breakdown, you could experience one of the following injuries:

  1. Localised Muscle Strain or Ligamentous Sprain which would usually last about 2-4 weeks
  2. Disc Injury – such as tears, bulges of the inner jelly-like substance, rupture or degeneration with age where the shock absorbing ability of the discs reduce, leading to irritation or compression of spinal nerves, causing pain which will often radiate into the buttocks or the leg, known as sciatica.
  3. Altered Joint Mechanics or Motor Control – this can begin as a protective mechanism, but then can lead to more chronic problems over time.
  4. Degenerative Arthritis – This can occur with over-use or ageing, where the spinal joints develop bone spurs, thus narrowing the canal where the spinal nerves pass through.
  5. Stress fractures – which are common problems seen in the lumbar spine of rotational athletes.

To avoid these injuries, good body mechanics should be one of your top priorities when playing golf. Proper posture, balance, flexibility, and strength work together to support a good swing and correct golf stance.

To help you protect your lower back or manage the problems mentioned some of the options available to you are either:-

  1. Hands-on physical therapy treatments such as osteopathy or massage which can help mobilise the joints and soft tissues around the lower back.
  2. Also, things like electrotherapy, dry needling, kinesio-taping, hot & cold therapy and exercises to stretch or strengthen any tight or weakened muscles can be useful.

A few things to bear in mind when dealing with pain or injury. Firstly, continuing to play golf through an episode of low back pain can further stress inflamed muscles and joints. Taking time off will allow your back to heal more quickly. Secondly, you should continue to stretch and strengthen your back between golf sessions, along with a low-impact aerobic exercise programme, such as walking or cycling. Finally, after the lower back pain has subsided, return to playing golf slowly and apply the prevention tips we’ll cover next to help avoid future occurrences.

As with so many health conditions, a little effort to prevent injury goes a long way and it’s important to address the following three key areas to stay out of the ‘back-pain bunker’. These being; Your Body, Your Technique and Your Bag.

Starting with your body and three main aspects to focus on are:-

  1. The hips and upper back as the golf swing requires great rotational mobility to develop and transfer energy to the club. That mobility should come from the joints in the body that are designed to rotate which are the hips and upper back. Therefore, aim to create optimal movement in these areas as your first line of defence against lower back pain. It’s important to remember though that these don’t operate in isolation. Ankle mobility can also affect the hip joint and the shoulders work with the upper back in rotation – so you can’t neglect those joints either.
  2. Core Strength – The abdominal muscles may be both the most important and the most neglected muscles for golfers. These muscles promote posture and balance and provide support to the spine. Core weakness results in increased strain on the lower back during the rotational movements associated with the golf swing, and can also make it hard to maintain good posture throughout the swing.
  3. Warming Up – To avoid straining your back a thorough warm-up before you start is essential, even if it’s just a few easy swings and a stretch, this is critical for your muscles to get ready for the game.

Onto your technique and perfecting this won’t just improve your game; it’ll also help prevent injury. The objective of a golf swing is to develop significant club-head speed, and to do this a lot of torque (force) and torsion (twisting) is applied through your lower back. A smooth, rhythmic swing produces less stress on the lower back, minimising muscular effort and load on the spine. With a proper swing, the shoulder, hips and spine rotate to share the load of the swing. You can achieve good balance while golfing by slightly bending your knees and keeping your feet approximately shoulder-width apart. Your spine should be straight, and you should bend forward from the hips with your weight evenly distributed on the balls of your feet. Developing an easy, fluid swing is often easier said than done though which is why working with a golf pro for a few sessions is a great way to improve your swing and avoid lower back injury.

Onto the bag and repeated bending over to pick up your golf bag can stress the lower back, so here are some recommendations that will help prevent lower back injury:-

  1. Invest in an integrated golf bag stand to reduce bending
  2. Use dual straps to divide weight across your back, or even better, add some wheels
  3. If your bag is on wheels, push rather than pull for better alignment and less rotational loading on your back
  4. Do some walking in between holes. Riding on a motorised golf cart may benefit you in not having to physically carry the weight of your clubs; however, sitting and driving over rough terrain could increase spinal compression forces in your back and aggravate pain.
  5. When bending over to place or retrieve a golf ball it is important to stand with one foot in front of the other, use your golf club to support the weight of your upper body, gently tighten your abdominal muscles and bend from the knees and hips, never at the waist with straight legs.

To wrap up, you can still enjoy playing golf even if you are experiencing chronic lower back pain. Don’t forget – golf requires much more athletic ability than many people imagine, and ignoring the physical demands of the sport often leads many people to suffer from injuries because of poor general conditioning, lack of warm up, poor technique and limited practice. With regular exercise, including specific strengthening and stretching, and better swing technique, you can experience a significant improvement in performance and reduction in injuries. Remember, your friendly local osteopath or physical therapist can help you treat any current injuries and pain, and support your prevention efforts in the future.

That’s all for this week’s bitesize bit to help your health flourish. See you next time!